Smithsonian atlas of space exploration

Launius, Roger D. (Author). Johnston, Andrew K. (Andrew Kenneth), 1969- (Added Author). Smithsonian Institution. (Added Author).

Summary: Traces the history of space exploration from Ptolomy and Copernicus to the space shuttles and Mars missions of today, and explains the geography of space flight and the ways in which space travel was shaped by Cold War politics.

Record details

ISBN: 0061565261
ISBN: 9780061565267
Physical Description: 230 p. : ill. (some col.), maps (chiefly col.) ; 31 cm.
print
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: New York, NY : HarperCollins, c2009.

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references (p. [219]-222) and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

Envisioning space. Ancient observatories ; The Ptolemaic and Copernican models of the universe ; Kepler-Newton : something new under the sun -- Beginning the Space Age. The origins of rocketry ; Robert H. Goddard and the development of American rocketry ; Wernher von Braun and the V-2 ; The popularization of space ; Considering the moon ; The lure of the Red Planet ; Concepts for missions to the moon and Mars ; The Space Age begins : Sputnik and Explorer ; The discovery of the Van Allen Radiation Belts -- Gateways to space. Antecedents of space launch : the X-15 and Dyna-soar programs ; How do we reach into space? : launch means and methods ; Mission control centers ; A suite of major nonpiloted launchers ; A suite of major human spaceflight launch vehicles ; The world's spaceports ; The Cape Canaveral launch complexes ; The Baikonur Soviet/Russian launch facility ; Three major launch sites : Kourou, Vandenberg, and Wallops ; Other worldwide launch sites ; Air- and sea-launch methods ; Human space launch emergency procedures ; Returning from space -- Orbiting the earth. Getting into orbit ; The first humans into space ; Developing more capabilities in space : long duration, EVA, and rendezvous and docking ; Swarms of satellites ; The nature of low earth orbit ; Supporting the Hubble Space Telescope in low earth orbit ; Seeking polar orbit ; Geostationary orbit ; Military satellites ; Unique constellations of satellites -- Reaching for the moon. The Cold War space race ; Launching NASA ; The geography of the moon ; Robotic exploration of the moon ; Lunar landing sites ; Lunar impacts and landings ; Robotic soft moon lander site plans ; Soviet rovers and sample return from the moon ; Americans to the moon : developing Saturn rocket technology ; The Apollo spacecraft and lunar module ; 1969 : the Apollo 11 and 12 landing sites ; Extending the stay on the moon : Apollos 14 and 15 ; Reaping a harvest of knowledge : Apollos 16 and 17 ; Post-Apollo lunar exploration -- Other terrestrial worlds. The inner solar system ; The geology of Mars ; Early missions to Mars ; Orbiting Mars ; Follow the water ; Geologic mapping of Mars ; Mars landing sites ; Landers on Mars ; Mars Exploration Rover A : Spirit ; Mars Exploration Rover B : Opportunity ; The geography of Venus ; Reaching for Venus ; Landings on Venus ; Exploring Mercury -- Across the solar system. Three zones of the solar system ; Studying the sun ; Chasing comets ; Asteroids and other objects ; In search of Jupiter ; The moons of Jupiter ; Galileo to Jupiter ; Exploring Saturn ; Cassini-Huygens goes to Saturn ; Saturn's moons ; Voyager 2 at Uranus ; The eighth planet : Neptune ; The Kuiper Belt ; Space navigation : looking to the stars ; At the edge of the solar system ; To the stars ; Looking into the past : mapping everything ; What are the possibilities of future spaceflight?